


Vacation Days and Reddish Greys

by captain_rocket



Category: Zootopia (2016)
Genre: Bigotry & Prejudice, Canon Compliant, First Dates, I just really wanted to write some Nick/Gideon ok, Kinda, M/M, Nick is Bi, Post canon, Slice of Life, Unexpected Visitors
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-07-06
Updated: 2016-08-31
Packaged: 2018-07-21 21:59:25
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 12,606
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7406695
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/captain_rocket/pseuds/captain_rocket
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Gideon Grey spends a week in Zootopia, hoping to see the sights. He ends up seeing a lot more fox than he expected, though. One fox in particular, in fact.<br/>Nick is more than happy to reciprocate.<br/>Dating ensues.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Phone Call and Traffic Stall

**Author's Note:**

> Can you tell I like to write gay stuff?? Can't get enough.  
> Seriously though, I have no idea how many chapters this will be. It will be on the long side though. I have the story structure all planned out, but fleshing it out may complicate things a little, and there may be a long time between updates.   
> But please enjoy! I'm pretty new to fanfic, so try to be constructive in your criticism.

Nick rolled out of bed, groggy and wearing only underwear. The morning sunlight glimmered through the blinds of his bedroom as he pulled on a grey t-shirt and jeans. Even while half awake, he could smell the scent of strong black coffee and hear the one-sided chatter of idle conversation. He yawned, stretched mildly, and stumbled to the kitchen.

Upon entering, he noticed two things simultaneously. One, Judy was standing in the small living room, back faced towards him, prattling into her smartphone. And two, there was a very large, very fresh pot of coffee sitting on the counter. 

As he poured his cup of joe into his favorite mug he caught a few snippets of his roommate’s conversation.

“Okay, that definitely sounds like her. Sorry about that, but you know how my parents are.” She paused, pacing in front of the TV. “Listen, they aren’t the most socially aware of bunnies! They haven’t been exposed to as much diversity as I have. Besides, I’m sure she didn’t mean it.” Another pause. This time, she laughed before continuing. “Good, good. At least she knows not to say it again.” 

She noticed the sleepy fox and smiled.  
Nick attempted a smile in return, managing a half grin before taking a giant sip from his cup.

“Alright, I gotta go. I’ll call you later about next week, okay? Okay, bye.” The bunny ended the call and turned the TV on.

“So who was that?”

Judy smirked and dropped onto the couch. “What, I don’t even get a good morning? You’re better than that, Nick.”

Nick achieved full smile.

“I believe in this situation courtesy dictates that you would tell me good morning, not the other way around, Hopps.”

Judy flipped through the channels. “And you’re an expert on courtesy, I’m sure.”

“Are you just avoiding my question?”

Judy’s smirk grew. “That was Gideon on the phone.”

Nick groaned into his coffee.

Judy settled on a news station and glared at the fox. “Hey, what’s that supposed to mean?”

Nick met her glare with his own piercing gaze.

“Oh, nothing. Just that whenever you get a call from someone ‘back home’,” he said, punctuating with air quotes, “you run off and leave me alone with nothing to do.”

Judy huffed. “Well thanks for making me feel guilty, fox.”

Nick grinned. “No problem, bunny. So, what is it this time? Broken air conditioner, busted tire, a big ol’ scary fox to fight off?”

Judy’s smile returned. “No, no, and definitely no. This time you don’t have to worry about me running off.” The smaller mammal got out of the sofa and sat at the table, tenting her arms in a scheming pose. 

“What would it take me to convince you to use your vacation days this week?”

Nick raised an eyebrow. “Depends. Will you be stooping to blackmail?”

“No, seriously.”

“I’m being very serious, Carrots.”

Judy glanced back at the TV as the reporter relayed the breaking news. A high-speeds chase was ensuing; a very expensive sports car was racing three police cruisers for freedom downtown.

“Ok, here’s the deal. Gideon wants to come see the city, and I told him that he could stay with us and we’d, you know, show him around! That way I get to visit with my ‘back home’ friend,” she said, as she imitated the older mammal’s air quotes, “and you get to spend the week with me as well!”

Nick put a paw on his chin.

“Hmm. That sounds alright, I guess. But where would he sleep?”

Judy smiled sheepishly. “Um, well, I just assumed he’d be sleeping on the… couch?”

Her partner feigned indignance. “The couch? My fair lady, know you not courtesy? You must give the man your bed, and you shall be the one sleeping on the couch.”

Now her eyebrows raised. “‘My fair lady’?”

“It sounded dramatic.”

10 minutes and two bagels later, the pair were sitting in Judy’s blue pickup, headed to the ZPD station. It was a Saturday, which meant instead of riding in the exceedingly comfortable and modern cruiser they were usually allowed, the two were stuck with the old Hopps family truck. Nick chuckled at the thought.

“Hey, weren’t you supposed to return this old thing to your dad? Y’know, after you saved the whole city and all that?”

Judy kept her eyes on the road, frowning slightly.

“Yeah, well, I told him we needed a ride on our off days and my dad let it slide. Besides, this isn’t the only truck he’s got. Or the newest, either.”

“That’s for sure.”

The radio blared pop music as the two rode in silence for a few minutes. Judy parked in a visitors spot and the two piled out.

Clawhauser greeted them from his desk.

“Oh, hey guys! What’s up?”

Nick returned his enthusiasm.

“Hey Benny! Not much. But what are you doin’ here? It’s the weekend, you should be at home, enjoying yourself!”

The cheetah chuckled. “Nah, I signed up for some extra hours.” He leaned closer and adopted a conspiratorial grin.   
“Between you and me, I heard that Bogo is looking to hire a secretary. And you know what that means.” 

“No, what?”, Judy whispered back.

“I’m looking at a promotion!”

“Ooooh, nice.”

He leaned back with a satisfied smile on his face. “So, what do you need?”

Nick absentmindedly fiddled with a pen on the desk. “We want to use our vacation days this week.”

Clawhauser did a double take.

“Wait, WHAT? Judy, you’re actually using your vacation days? Is the world ending?” He leaned in again. “Your mom’s not dying, is she?”

The bunny blushed. “No, Ben, everything's fine.” 

The cheetah still looked suspicious.

“I’m FINE. An old friend of mine is coming to see the city, and I wanted to show him around, you know, to see the sights and all that.”

Nick nodded. “Especially all that.”

Benjamin smiled. “Ah, gotcha. The full Zootopia experience, eh? Alright, let’s see…” He punched a few keys on his computer and clicked the mouse a half dozen times. 

“...Okay, you’re all set! Nick, you still have two vacation days left, and Judy, you still have 55 vacation days left.”

Nick gawked at Judy. “Oh my god. You weren’t kidding when you said you never take days off.”

She blushed again. “What can I say? I’m dedicated.”

She turned back to Clawhauser.

“Hey, do you know anything about this high speed chase that’s going on? I managed to catch some of it on the news but…”

Clawhauser nodded furiously.

“O. M. Goodness, yes. Listen, apparently it all started in the rainforest district, right?”

Nick groaned and left the duo squabbling about the event for a vending machine in the corner. His return with two bags of chips did not go unnoticed.

“...And so this deer called in the stolen vehicle- hey, Nick, are you gonna share or what?”

The fox grudgingly offered the bag to his friends.

“Fine, fine. You know, sometimes I feel like you would all starve if I weren't so generous.”

“Yeah, yeah. Anyway, we ran the plate, right? Well, it turns out this is the third stolen car this week in the district…”

Another several minutes passed as the cheetah recounted the earlier heists. Nick payed as little attention as possible, choosing to focus on his snacks and the mammals walking in as a source of entertainment. An old, greying arctic fox made his way into the building, seemingly lost. He quickly exited upon realizing his mistake.

Nick groaned softly as his mind jumped. That’s right, Gideon Grey. The OTHER fox in Judy’s life. He’d heard all the stories about their childhood together and his supposed redemption, but he was still skeptical about their newfound friendship. A year ago he would have said that mammals never change. But things were different now, he assured himself. Judy had changed him, at least. He was sure she could do the same to any other mammal. 

Benjamin finished narrating the grand theft auto and Judy and Nick waved goodbye to their stocky friend.

As Judy turned the key in her blue pickup, she saw her partner glance at her in the rear-view mirror. 

“What’s up?”

Nick chuckled.

“Jeez, Carrots! I swear, you have the eyes of a hawk.”

Judy pulled out of the lot and set her eyes on the road.

“Maybe, but not while I’m driving, so you might as well just say what you’re thinking.”

Nick faced the window, an uncomfortable expression on his face. He was glad the traffic was distracting her, for now, at least.

“Well, it’s just… I’m a little bit curious how you can trust this Gideon guy so much? He hurt you, Judy. In my experience, mammals don’t usually let that kind of hurt go.”

Judy smiled. “Aww, Nick…”

Nick’s ears stiffened and, if his fur were lighter, Judy might have seen him blush.

“Hey, what is this, a pity party? I’m just saying, what has this guy done to deserve your trust, that’s all.”

“No, I get it. You’re worried about me.” The rabbit took her eyes off the road for a second, appraising the older mammal. “That’s really sweet, Nick.”

He was definitely redder than usual.

“Seriously, though.”

Judy hummed thoughtfully for a second.

“Well, I guess it all started when I returned to the farm a year ago.”

Her partner groaned. “Here we go…”

She ignored him and continued.

“It turned out that, after all those years, he became quite a talented baker and he formed a partnership with my parents! And he apologized to me, so I figured, might as well try to reconnect. So we got to talking, and he really is a good guy! He’s seeing a therapist, making his amends, he broke up with his total asshole of a boyfriend, he’s really starting to turn a new leaf, you know?”

Nick felt a familiar shock. “Wait, hold on.”

Judy ignored him again. “And one day he told me that he’d really like to see the city, and I was like, who better to show him around than us!”

She paused and looked over at Nick.

“Wh-whats wrong? Did I say something?”

Nick stared at the bunny with an incredulous look on his face.

“Did you say boyfriend?”

Judy’s expression went blank.

“Um, yes? Why?”

Nick laughed to himself, eyes wide.

“Okay, you mean to tell me that you invited a gay fox to stay in our apartment for a week, and it didn’t register with you to check with me first?”

Judy frowned at the traffic in front of her.

“Nick, I literally have no idea why him being gay has any effect on you. What, can you not control your urges? It’s not like he’s gonna flirt with you.”

She turned back to her partner’s unconvinced expression.

“Indulge me, Carrots. Are there a lot of gay mammals in the Burrows?”

Judy raised her eyebrows. “Hmm… I guess not. I mean, realistically, it should be about the same as everywhere else, but most of them move out when they’re old enough…” She trailed off.

“And is he currently dating someone?”

“Well, um, no.”

He turned back to the passenger's side window.

“I rest my case.”

Judy huffed impatiently. They had been sitting in traffic for what seemed like an eternity.

“Listen, I'm sure it’ll be fine. Besides, I don’t even think you’re his type. His last boyfriend was a weasel.”

Nick put a paw on his chin thoughtfully.

“Huh. That sounds… interesting. I’ve never slept with a weasel, but I can imagine…”

Judy’s scandalized voice cut through his fantasies. “Nick, no. Ew.”

He chuckled smugly. “Hey, he’s your friend.”

Silence lingered for a moment.

“God, now I'm thinking about it.”

“Yeah...”


	2. Pick(-me-)ups

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Heyo, heres a new chapter! I think this'll be around seven chapters?? One for each day of the week.   
> Don't worry, interesting Zootopia exploring stuff will be here soon.   
> Enjoy!

Nick drowsily traced circles in the air above his head. He’d woken up earlier than usual that Sunday morning; the drive to the Burrows was long even without the weekend traffic. He was currently sprawled out across the back seat of Judy’s pickup truck.

His half awake mind drifted between topics, before settling on the root of his misery.

“Y-you don’t know…,” He cautiously slurred, as if making sure the words were correct, “You don’t know how good you have it, bunny-buns.”

Judy smirked and checked him in the rear-view mirror. “Oh yeah?”

“Y-you herbivores, and your… whatzit called. Creepy-schooler.”

“Crepuscular.”

“Yyyessir…”

Judy giggled to herself. “You’re a silly fox when you’re tired, Nick.”

“Thanks…”

The rabbit drove in silence for a while, absentmindedly humming to the pop music playing on the radio every few minutes. The fox in the backseat stared up at the roof of the truck, slowly recovering from his sleepy stupor. His mind made another jump.

“Hey… I have a question.”

“You sound more awake. What is it, bud?”

“Bud? God, you sound like my dad.”

“How dare you.”

“Mmm…”

Judy raised an eyebrow and turned back to her partner.

“Hey, what was the question?”

“What? Oh, right.” Nick propped himself up on an elbow and peered out the front window. “Don’t you want to visit your family while we’re there? You haven’t seen them in a while, and I’m sure they want to see you, right?”

Judy laughed and focused back on the road. “Listen, they’ve had enough communication with me already. The less they know about this little visit, the better.”

Nick frowned to himself. “What, is it about me?”

Judy smiled. “Well, introducing my traditional, conservative parents to my bisexual, ex-con, fox roommate slash partner on the force doesn’t seem like something you do spontaneously. Besides, I spent almost 19 years with them and I don’t want to spend anymore time than I have to.”

Nick flipped back onto his back. “Right, right. I understand.”

A pang of guilt flashed through Judy’s heart. “Hey… don’t worry. I’ll introduce you to them eventually. Just now maybe isn’t the right time, okay?”

She heard a little shuffle from behind her as her partner turned his back to her.

“Listen, there's a Snarlbucks off the next exit. How about we get you some coffee, huh? Would that make you feel better?”

“Sure, mom.”  
Two cups of coffee and a hundred miles later, and the pair arrived in Bunnyburrow. 

Judy traversed the dense networks of back roads and main streets in the busy little town, watching the small residents scurry along the outskirts. The buildings were big and brightly painted, and there seemed to be a church every few residences. Nick only spotted one schoolyard, although with what he knew about the Burrows, he assured himself that it couldn’t be the only one.

“Ok, so... where do we find this friend of yours, exactly?” Nick asked.

“We’re picking him up from his house in the predator neighborhood.”

“Geez, segregation? I get why you aren’t introducing me to the folks now.”

He heard the silence from the driver's seat, and all the meaning it carried as well.

As she drove down the main road of the Burrows, Judy saw the familiar smiles of friends and family and the gestures of welcome. Nick saw the uncomfortable glances and shaken heads. The suspicious looks, secret mutterings.

This was going to be interesting.

Slowly, the rural bunny settlements gave way to farmland, and even slower, to what Nick could only describe as a ghetto, in the truest meaning of the word. Young foxes and ferrets chased each other down the dirt streets and an old bobcat sat on a broken porch, cleaning their rifle. Various sizes and shapes populated the little village, inhabiting small houses, most worn from years of weathering, passed down from generations. It was a stark contrast to the bright and colorful bunny residence only a few miles away.

A few stray predators crossed the road in front of Judy, causing her to slam on the breaks.

“Hey, there's no crosswalk here! That’s JAYWALKING!”

A short coyote glared at the bunny.

“There ain’t no crosswalks at all, Miss Cotton-Tail! I’ve got my right of way!”

His buddies joined in, mobbing the front of the truck.

“Learn how to drive, buck-tooth!”

“You ain’t welcome here, flat-foot!”

“Go back to your own cute lil’ town!”

Judy cursed under her breath.

“Alright, alright, I’m SORRY! Now could you please move? I’m trying to meet a friend.”

The mob dispersed amongst mild chuckles.

“Oooh, a friend? Does anyone else smell scandal?”

“I think that’s just your B. O., Randy.”

“Aw, shut it, Dave.”

Nick smirked, poking his head between the driver’s and passenger’s seats.

“Well they seemed like a nice group of fellows.”

Judy shrugged, still watching the street carefully. “They’ve dealt with enough hate from bunnies. Might as well try to keep it civil.”

Nick heard the slightest tinge of a drawl in her voice, a slight flattening of a vowel, a strangely placed emphasis.

“Sure, sure. I hope this Gideon guy’s a little less rough than they were.”

“Oh, he’s a big softie. Don’t worry, you two’ll get along great.”

“I’m sure.”

The pickup truck turned sharply down a slightly less beat up road, veering between slightly less beat up houses. A suburb, it seemed like.

Judy parked in front of a tall house, with peeling yellow paint and dark, somber windows.

Nick gazed up at second floor in mild awe. “Wow, he lives here? Alone?”

“No, no.” Judy shook her head slowly, typing into her phone, before elaborating. “In the Burrows, its tradition to live with your family and inherit the estate when they’re gone. Unless you’re a doe, in which case you would move into your mate’s house.”

Nick chuckled. “Sounds like medieval times.”

“Yeah, I never much cared for it either.”

Suddenly the door burst open, a stocky fox shuffling out of the house with a suitcase. He was wearing the dirtiest, most ripped pair of overalls Nick had ever seen, and his cheeks were flushed from exposure to the sun. Nick stifled a giggle.

“Oh- oh my god.”

“Nick, shush.”

As the young fox made his way to the truck, he turned and hollered into the building, waving a paw wildly.

“BYE MA! BY PA! SEE YA, JESSIE!”

A chorus of jovial exclamations came from the house, nearly unrecognizable to the inhabitants of the pickup outside.

“Oh my god.”

“SHUSH- Hey Gideon! Hop on in there!”

Nick could hear the forced twang dripping from the bunny’s voice.

“Alrighty, partner! Let’s get movin!”

Oh my god.

A strange silence settled over the truck as Judy quickly drove out of earshot of the house.

She eyed Gideon warily.

“...Think they can still hear me?”

“Nah, we’re good.”

“Oh thank god.”

Gideon laughed, a belly laugh that would put Santa Claws to shame.

“Gosh, my folks would kill me if they knew you were drivin’! They barely let it slide thinkin’ it was your sister.”

Nick poked his head between the two. “Um, I’m lost. What was with the funky accents, again?”

Judy laughed and glanced at him. “Oh, hey Nick. Gideon, this is Nick, my partner.”

Gideon smiled and tipped the trucker’s hat on his head.

“Well, hey there, Nick. Judy’s told me a lot about you. I’m Gideon.”

He held out a paw for a handshake.

Nick smiled smugly and slapped his paw.

“I figured, bud.”

Judy smiled, attempting to swerve between another group of predators in the road.

“Yeah, yeah.” She paused, running back through the conversation. “Oh, right, the accent!” She grinned at Gideon, and he mirrored her expression. “Well, you see, the Greys are a pretty traditional family.”

“Just like everyone out here, I’m guessing.”

Gideon guffawed again, quieter this time. “Well, shoot, you’d be right.”

Judy took a sharp turn down the long road back to the prey district.

“Anyway, they don’t really approve of Gideon hanging out with a city bunny like me.”

“Yeah, my folks think me an’ Judy’s sister Shauna are camping out at the lake for a few.” He elbowed Judy. “I’m pretty sure the only reason they let me go is ‘cuz they thought it was a date!”

The driver giggled. “Wow, they’re still holding onto it, huh? Jeez, you’d think they’d get the memo.”

Gideon smiled and watched the farmland fly by. “Yeah, me and Jessie had a laugh about it.” He glanced back at the fox behind him. “Jessie’s my lil’ sister, by the way.”

He turned back to the road, beaming. “I’m just so excited to finally see the big city! Thanks again, Judy. It’s awful nice of you to take the time to show me around.”

Judy grinned back at her friend. “Oh, it’s nothing, Gideon, really. It’s my pleasure.”

“Yeah, mine too.” Nick interjected from the back seat.

Judy watched as the farmland transitioned back to colorful houses. The peal of church bells rang through the small compartment.

“Really, there’s no one better to do it! Nicky here literally knows everyone.”

“Shoot, is that true?”

Nick puffed up his chest, glad to be included in the conversation. “Well, maybe not everyone, but… yeah, basically everyone.” 

He smiled smugly and glanced out the windows at a small bunny family; Two older does held hands with a pair of young kits. The taller doe noticed the fox’s gaze and pulled the closest kit to her side. Nick gave a toothy smile. The look on her face… priceless. The kid seemed pretty undisturbed, though. 

“And Judy, here, well, she’s the most well respected bunny officer on the force! No lie there, Gid.”

Judy giggled again. “I’m also the ONLY bunny officer on the force.”

“Hey, I’m not wrong.”

Gideon’s infectious laugh returned. “Well, darn. Guess I’m in good hands then, huh? Really, y’all, I just gotta say thanks again. I’m so gosh darn excited!”

Nick eyed the younger fox smugly. “‘Gosh darn’?”

The fox in question suddenly became very self-conscious, staring down at his paws. “Er, excuse my southern colloquialisms.”

Nick blushed in shame. Something he wasn’t very used to feeling these days.

“Oh, uh, I didn’t mean-”

Judy cut in to save Nick from himself. “You’ll have to excuse my partner here. He has a bad habit of teasing people for no good reason.”

Gideon relaxed, his smiling face free of resent. “Ah. No problem, pal. I’ve done my own fair share of teasin’ in my day.”

Nick wanted to say something snarky, along the lines of ‘So I’ve heard’, or ‘Oh, have you?’, but a quick frown from Judy stopped him in his tracks. 

“...Right.”

A painful silence hung over the trio as Judy left the overpopulated residences behind.

This was going to be VERY interesting.


	3. Illuminating

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Aaah, sorry this took so long! Updates will be slower from now on because of homework, the dreaded menace. But seriously, enjoy!

Nick heard the door to his bedroom creak open as he dried his soapy fur on a clean, white towel. His ears stood up, focusing on the source of the noise. He heard some scuffling, too loud to be Judy.

“Um, Judy? You in here?”

Gideon.

An impish smile slowly grew on the naked fox’s face as he eyed himself in the mirror. He quickly ruffled some of the fur on his head and chest and fluffed up his tail, letting droplets spray onto the counter and into the sink. He carefully draped the towel around his waist, tying it at the hip, letting it rest just low enough, angled just so….

He practiced a few flirtatious smiles in the mirror before stepping out of the bathroom to face the intruder.

“Oh, hey Gideon. What do you need?” He leaned against the doorframe suavely, a devilish grin crossing his face.

“OH! Oh, N-nick, I-” The older fox saw his counterpart’s eyes quickly drift downwards, biting his lip ever so slightly, before snapping back up to meet his own.

“Sorry, I didn’t mean to, well, um, interrupt. I thought this was Judy’s bedroom, you see, and-”

Nick crossed the room swiftly, maintaining eye contact with Gideon all the while. He drew close to the young fox, and chuckled deeply. He fancied himself quite sexy at the moment, staring into the baby blues of the slightly taller dog in front of him.

“Well, that's a shame.” He let a paw brush against Gideon’s arm, feeling the fur bristle from the contact. He pulled away, as quickly as he approached, and continued. “But her room is down the hall. Big orange door, can’t miss it.”

He held the door open and winked at the object of his scheme, who looked very uncomfortable at the moment.

In his peripheral vision, Nick noticed the final short, longing look Gideon gave before he left.

“G-gosh, thanks Nick. ‘Preciate it.” As he left, Nick sighed dramatically, watching him scurry down the hall, and called after him.

“Can’t believe she’s havin’ you sleep on the couch! If you were my guest, you’d be sleeping in my bed!”

Gideon disappeared behind a corner and Nick closed the door, sliding down it and giggling to himself.

Oh, this is gonna be fun.

...Until Judy found out.

“Nick, are you trying to seduce my best friend?”

Nick pouted. “But I thought I was your best friend, Hopps?” I’m hurt.”

Judy rolled her eyes and watched the clock for a second. 

“You know what I mean. Gideon told me what happened this morning! I thought you DIDN’T want him hitting on you!”

Her partner shrugged coolly. “Aah, I changed my mind. He’s a cute kid, and it’s oh so fun to watch cute little kids squirm.”

He frowned. “And I have been out of the dating game for a couple of years. Might be time to have a little fun, you know?”

Judy smirked up at him. “Sure, sure. Well, by all means, go ahead. Between you and me, after this morning, Gideon seems a whole lot less apprehensive about spending the day with you.”

Nick’s eyebrows raised. “Really? Interesting. Maybe I do have a shot, huh?”

Judy shrugged and smiled. “Well, that and I told him you were bi.”

“Oh. That’ll do it.”

“Yep.”

After Gideon and Judy had cleaned up, Nick suggested a walk to see the area, as a little warm up for the real sights. “It’ll be fun! You won’t see anything particularly noteworthy, but you’ll definitely get a feel for the locals.”

Gideon nodded enthusiastically, with a seemingly newfound confidence. “Well, that sounds great, Nick.” 

The older fox noticed his younger counterpart’s shift in demeanor; he seemed more cocky now, shoulders back and head high. It was almost hard to believe that he was the same fox who had scurried out of Nick’s room that morning.

Judy could sense the tension. “Yep, sounds perfect to me! So let's hop to it, guys! Don’t wanna waste anymore time than we have to!”

Nick snickered. “Heh, ‘hop to it’.”

“...I guess I walked right into that one.”

And so the trio departed, one eager to see the city, and two eager to show it.

Nick hadn’t been exaggerating when he said there wouldn’t be anything noteworthy. The downtown district was notably devoid of exciting landmarks, consisting mostly of multi-species living developments. There were a few shops and stores scattered around, but most high end retail was situated in the central district, along with the skyscrapers and government buildings like the ZPD.

Gideon still managed to find it quite exciting though.

“So you’re telling me that, in just one of those fancy apartment buildin’s, there could be 20 different species?”

Judy smiled and nodded. “Yep, or more if it’s one of the bigger ones.”

The older fox lagged behind the two, watching their enthusiasm from a few feet away. Gideon whistled and resumed his questioning. 

“Well, shoot! A-and predators and prey can live together, an’ all?”

Nick snidely reminded the fox that they had just come from their apartment building where he, a fox, and Judy, a bunny, lived together. In his mind, at least.

The bunny’s smile grew. “Well, Zootopia has always been an integrated society, ever since it was founded! They say it formed around a watering hole in ancient times, where our ancestors made peace to survive the harsh environment.” She sighed fondly, remembering the years she had spent learning all she could about the bustling metropolis. “That’s why I love it so much. It’s not just a place for prey, or predators. It’s a modern, diverse society!”

Gideon shook his head in wonder. “Gosh, you sure do love this place, Judy!” He gazed up at the sun glinting off of a window. Through the glare he could barely make out the shapes of two mammals hugging; an otter and a ram.

“I’m starting to understand why, too.”

His rumbling stomach interrupted the moment.

He grinned apologetically. “Oh, heh, sorry y’all. I forgot to eat breakfast this mornin’.” He paused, and Nick hoped he was thinking about something else that had happened that morning.  
He swished his tail and continued. “Think we could find somethin’?”

Judy looked around and noticed a hot dog stand near the edge of the road. An opossum sat behind it, reading a newspaper.

“How about there?” Judy said, pointing. “Nothing more Zootopian than ordering hot dogs from a cart!”

Gideon rushed over, his stomach continually grumbling.

The opossum looked up at the fox, smiling warmly.

“Well, hello there, sir! Would you like anything?”

Gideon looked at the small menu on the counter. It was emblazoned with a shoddy logo and contained one item with no price listing.

“Um, yes, but I have a question. Are your hot dogs bug based or vegetable substitute?” He enunciated the syllables in vegetable with slight delay.

“All of my fresh hot dogs are 100% organic bug meal, seasoned to taste, guaranteed to appeal to the carnivore in you.” The salesman recited this little slogan with an air of practice and repetition.

“Thank you, I’ll take one please.”

He flashed a grin and picked up a dog with his tongs, plopping it between a bun tantalizingly. “That’ll be 5 bucks, sir.”

As Gideon attempted to fish his wallet out from his back pocket, Nick slid up beside him, eyeing the opossum gravely.

“Oh really, Javier? Five dollars?”

Javier caught the glare of the fox and suddenly clammed up. “Oh, h-hey, Nicky! I, uh, didn’t see you there! Heh, heh.”

The unamused look on his face was enough to make the opossum shiver and sweat.

The salesman quickly turned back to Gideon, who was still trying to pull bills from his pocket.  
“Um, pal, you said five dogs, right?”

Gideon shook his head, confused. “Uh, no sir, just the one.”

“Ah, sorry, that’ll be one dollar.” Javier glanced at Nick, grinning sheepishly. “S-see? Simple mistake!”

Nick shook his head slowly. “You’re lucky I’m off-duty, Javi, or I’d write you up for petty theft.”

The small predator gulped. “Haha, you’re joking, right? You can’t actually do that, right?”

Nick watched his younger counterpart grab the hot dog and spray ketchup on it from a bottle on the side of the cart quietly.

“Have a good one, Javi.”

“Y-you too, Mister Wilde! A-and enjoy your hot dog, sir!”

Gideon managed a rushed thanks before being pushed off by Nick.

“What was all that? He musta been awful confused to think I wanted five hot dogs.”

The older fox shook his head. “He wasn’t confused, he was trying to scam you into paying five bucks for one.” 

Gideon gasped. “Gosh, that’s not very nice. But why…?”

Nick glanced back at the cart grimly, watching the same predator he had just derided grabbing a wad of bills from another customer.

“It’s a tourist trap. Most of the cheapest hotels are in the downtown district, so mammals like Javi roll up and make bank. They know they can’t scam any of the residents like that, or they’ll just go to a cheaper place, but tourists don’t know any better, so they can charge as much as they want, no problem.”

Gideon whistled and took a big bite out of the hot dog. “Well, shoot, thank goodness you were there. I would have wasted my hard earned money!”

Judy ran up to the two, having watched the whole ordeal from a slight distance. “See! I told you Nick knows everybody!”

He chuckled. “Sure, sure. Anyway, if you think anyone else is trying to pull the wool over your eyes, just give me a call, and I might be able to sort it out.”

Gideon smiled appreciatively. “Aww, thanks, partner. Means a lot.”

Nick nodded and watched the younger fox. The kid was cute, he’ll give him that. 

As they strolled more, Nick returned to his passive role, allowing Judy to lead her friend around and narrate what they saw. He watched Gideon with an appraising eye, noticing tics and behaviors that distinguished him from other mammals. The way he smoothed out his hair after waving hello, or the sly grin that crept out when he made a joke. 

He noted the fox’s shy nature most of all, however. Gideon was very self conscious, always careful when talking about himself. He could go on for hours about his family, or the neighborhood where he grew up, or the bright city before him, but Nick could barely get a straight answer as to what his favorite flavor of pie was. And the day before, when he had teased him about his slang, how nervous he was. It was… oddly endearing, Nick decided.

Judy’s phone rang, Gazelle’s newest single playing through her pocket. She frowned as she pulled it out. “Huh, that’s weird…” Nick and Gideon stared at her for clarification. “T-that’s my ringtone for Bogo-” She turned quickly to Gideon. “-my boss.” She pulled the phone up to her ear. 

“Hey, Chief, what’s up?”

She stared off into space for a minute, before rolling her eyes and giggling loudly. 

“No, no, everything’s fine. What, did Clawhauser tell you?”

She smiled fondly.

“You should have listened to him, because I wasn’t lying. And don’t worry, I’ll be back on the force next week, okay?”

She frowned again.

“Oh. Huh. Well, I guess you can put me on call, but would you mind putting me on low-priority? I’d hate to leave my friend high and dry, chief.”

She paused before her smile returned.

“Okay. Bye Bogo. I-I mean, Chief. Heh heh.”

She hung up on the call and shrugged apologetically. “Sorry about that. Bogo had to put me on call.”

Nick stepped forward. “Why, what’s wrong?”

Judy shook her head. “Oh, it’s just that car thief again. They never caught him, but they narrowed his location down to a few blocks in the Rainforest District. He wants to make sure that I’m available if the case escalates.”

Now it was Nick’s turn to frown. “Huh. Wonder why he didn’t call me.”

“Mhm, yeah, I wonder.”

“Hey, rude.”

Gideon rubbed the back of his head awkwardly. “Gee, if something comes up, don’t worry about me.”

Nick smirked slyly and threw his arm over the younger fox’s shoulder.

“Yeah, he’s got me to take care of him! We’ll be fine.”

The fox in question grinned to himself, noticed only by Judy.

She laughed shortly and eyed him. “Yeah, right.”

Gideon noticed her gaze and shifted to a neutral expression, a small smile still tugging at his lips.

“Well, uh, anyway, we should probably keep movin’. I wanna see more of this big ol’ city, after all!”

He pulled away from Nick and continued walking, to the disappointment of the fox.

Judy elbowed him.

He rubbed his arm and glared at the small bunny.

“Hey, what was that?”

She motioned towards her friend ahead of them and whispered.

“Go walk with him!”

He rolled his eyes and sighed.

“Fine.”

As he and Gideon walked, the conversation shifted tone from when it had been Judy accompanying the fox. It was similar in topic- The Burrows, the city- but every so often a question would cut through that was less than superficial. Judy admired Nick’s ability to sneak in flirtatious smiles and suggestive comments. He was as cunning as ever. And Gideon was… well, he was learning. His small, scandalous gasps diminished as their interactions went on, and he quickly became comfortable with Nick’s teasing and flirting. They seemed to be a good match…. She mentally checked herself. That wasn’t speciesist right? Just because they’re foxes…. Nah. They were pretty cute together.

The day faded into night, and the sunset signaled the end of their little adventure. They enjoyed a small dinner in their apartment and watched T.V. for a few hours. Judy went to bed first, tired out from all the walking that day. At least, that’s what she told the foxes in the living room.

Nick sat next to Gideon on the couch, the light of the television illuminating their figures. Some soap was playing, apparently the newest episode of the season, Gideon had told him. He said he watched it back home. Nick hadn’t payed much attention to it though.

He watched the taller fox out of the corner of his eye and steeled his courage.

“So…”

Gideon smiled and cocked his head.

“Yeah?”

Nick shrugged and watched his hand run over the fibers of the couch’s arm.

“Well, there’s this place I wanna show you tomorrow night… will you come with me?”

The scene on the screen shifted, showing a well dressed lion confronting a young lioness in the yard of a mansion.

“...Will Judy…?” Gideon trailed off, eyes returning to the screen.

“No. Just the two of us.”

A smile flitted across his face.

“I think I’d like that, Nick.”

“...Good.”

The older fox leaned on his arm silently, slowly drifting off to sleep.


	4. Starry Eyed

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Again, sorry for the long space between updates. Enjoy the long chapter though!

Judy giggled and sat down the bagel she was eating. “Aww, that sounds so cute!”

Nick jokingly frowned at her, chewing on a bagel of his own. “Hey, I will not tolerate that word in my house, young lady.”

The bunny scoffed and continued. “I’m sure he’ll love it.” She raised an eyebrow and grinned. “Honestly, I’m surprised you came up with it yourself! How long have you been planning for something like this, anyway?”

“I’m just gonna ignore that obvious insult, Carrots.” He shrugged. “And what can I say? I’m a romantic.”

Judy rolled her eyes. “If you say so.”

“I do.”

Nick checked his phone, scrolling through the news feed. He clicked on the headline of a gossip magazine - Gazelle’s Ex Infuriated Over Her Newest Single - and absentmindedly scanned it. He wasn’t big on celebrity gossip, but he knew Clawhauser would be telling him about it later anyways, so he might as well be prepared. He exited the article and resumed his scrolling, only to set his phone down a minute later.

Of course nothing interesting was happening today. It was Tuesday. Nothing interesting ever happened on Tuesday.

Well, maybe he could change that.

He glanced over at his partner.

“So, what's on the itinerary for today? Anything fun?”

Judy smiled. “Well, I was thinking that we could go into the central district! We could show him around the mall, and all the skyscrapers, and maybe we could stop by the ZPD!”

Nick chuckled. “You only want to go there so you can show him off to Clawhauser and Bogo.”

Judy pouted. “N-no… okay, maybe a little bit.”

“But,” She said, as she stood up and walked to the kitchen, “I think it’d be cool for him to see where we work, right?”

“Sure, Fluff. You keep telling yourself that.” Nick sipped his black coffee quietly. “Should we get dinner too? There’s a lot of nice restaurants in the area.

Judy returned from the kitchen carrying a cup of her own. “Uh, sure. I know this great place near the ZPD. They have excellent soup and salad.”

“Hm. For some reason I get the idea that Gid’s not exactly the soup and salad type.”

“Oh, they have sandwiches. He’ll be fine.”

“Who’ll be fine?”

The two looked back at the fox behind them in surprise.

Judy blushed again. “Oh, hey Gideon! We were just talking about dinner tonight.”

The mammal in question stood behind them wearing extremely faded blue overalls and a remarkably gaudy orange and blue button-up. Nick found it particularly atrocious.

“O-oh my god… Judy, I think the mall was the right choice.”

Gideon frowned and looked down at his outfit. “What, is there somethin’ wrong with my clothes?”

Nick opened his mouth, but a quick glare from Judy silenced whatever criticisms sat in his throat.

He chuckled weakly. “Heh-heh… no?”

Judy shook her head sadly. These two were a mess. A cute, well-matched mess, but a mess all the same.

The three piled into Judy’s sky-blue truck, Nick and Gideon sitting together in the back, and made the quick trip to the inner city. As they passed the bright, flashy skyscrapers and expensive-looking government buildings, Gideon stared out the window in wonder.

“Well, I’ll be darned. This place is beautiful! These buildin’s… how do they build ‘em up so high without them collapsin’?”

Judy giggled from the driver’s seat. “Well, they use reinforced steel beams that run vertically through each floor, and a high tech movable base to ensure that the building can sway without compromising the structure! That way, if there's ever an earthquake or a hurricane, the buildings will just move with them instead of falling down!”

Gideon laughed loudly. “Gosh! These architects really do think of everything, don’t they?”

“Well-” Judy swerved to avoid a smaller vehicle passing through her lane. “-Woah, sorry about that. Um, like I was saying, these technologies are one of the reasons why Zootopia is such a hub of development! The city actively devotes resources to scientists and designers to help improve the quality of life of mammals around the globe! That’s how the city can afford all these fancy government buildings and the like.”

Nick glared out the window and muttered under his breath.

“And speaking of government buildings…”

Judy pulled into the parking lot of the ZPD and found a visitor’s spot.

“Here we are!”

Gideon stepped out of the pickup excitedly and gasped at the large lettering above the door.

“Well, shoot! Judy, this is mighty cool!” He turned to her worriedly. “But, are you sure this is okay? You won’t get in trouble, will you?”

Judy shook her head and beamed. “Nah, bud, it’ll be fine. But, c’mon, don’t you want to see inside?”

The bright fox smile that she received answered her question wordlessly.

The trio entered the building and Gideon marvelled over the high ceiling and marble floors of the lobby.

He didn’t go unnoticed, however.

“Um, excuse me, sir?”

A loud, flamboyant, unmistakeable voice called out to him.

Clawhauser laughed when he noticed his friends filing in behind the fox.

“Oh! Hey Judy, hey Nick! I’m guessing this is your friend, huh?” He motioned to Gideon with a donut in his paw.

Judy chuckled and hopped onto his desk, startling the cheetah.

“Yep, this is Gideon Grey. Gideon, meet Benjamin Clawhauser!

Gideon walked up to the desk and stook out his paw. Ben eyed it for a moment, before shaking it heartily and laughing again.

“Well, hey there Gideon! Welcome to the ZPD!”

The fox grinned and looked around again. “Shoot, this place is prettier than a pickled peach, ain’t she?”

Nick whistled. “Well, now, that might be overselling it a little.”

Judy elbowed him.

“We’re just here to show him around.”

“Ah. Not much to see in here, though. Besides the building itself, of course.”

Judy turned back to Clawhauser.

“Hey, did Bogo tell you he was putting me on call?”

Clawhauser swiveled to face her, confusion on his face.

“What? He didn’t, no way.” Judy nodded gravely. “Seriously?”

“Seriously.”

Gideon tapped Nick on the shoulder and rolled his eyes playfully. “Now, I may not be the brightest fox in the den, but I do know when I’m being a third wheel.”

Nick shrugged sympathetically. “Ah, join the club. I’m gonna go hit up the vending machine, wanna come?”

“Sure!”

The two sat on a bench near the machine for a while, chatting.

“So, Jess, the lil’ devil, she runs up to the poor fella and says, ‘Well, Mister, you look a lot like my cousin!’, and the guy goes, ‘Oh yeah? And what does your cousin look like, little lady?’, and she gives him a big ol’ toothy grin and says, real loud, ‘Bald!’”

They shared a minute of laughter before Gideon continued.

“Well, anyway, that’s enough about my family. What about you? Got any brothers or sisters?”

Nick’s eyes darkened and he avoided Gideon’s gaze. “Oh, no. I’m an only kit. And my parents… It’s a long story.”

He stood, motioning back towards the lobby where they left Judy and Ben.

“C’mon, let's see if the chatterboxes have finished chattering, eh?”

Gideon, frowned and stood slowly.

“Uh, sure, Nick.”

As they made their way back, Gideon reminded himself to have a talk with Judy later.

When they returned, they noticed a new presence amongst the pair they had left behind.

A tall, intimidating presence.

“Whoa, who’s the big fella?” Gideon eyed the cape buffalo warily.

Nick smiled cooly. “Oh, that’s just my boss, Bogo. Don’t worry, he looks pretty scary, but he’s really just a big softy.” He glanced at Gideon. “Just like me, eh, Gid?”

The other fox giggled. “Nick, you are not intimidating. At all.”

Nick shushed him, although whether for pride’s sake or privacy’s, Gideon wasn’t sure.

A few snippets of the bunny and buffalo’s conversation echoed across the room.

“I must admit, Hopps, this is very unlike you. Are you sure you are not on drugs?”

A nervous rabbit’s laugh interrupted him.

“Oh, come on, Chief! Really? Drugs? A bunny takes a week off and suddenly you’re accusing me of dealing?”

Bogo’s glasses inched down his nose as he glared at Judy.

“Interesting. No one said anything about dealing, Hopps.”

The incredulous look on her face was plain for the world to see.

Chief Bogo noticed her partner’s arrival and the extra member of the crew.

“Hello there, Wilde. I see you’ve brought along your little friend, huh?” He turned back to Judy. “Is this the fox you were talking about.”

“YES.”

“Hmm.”

He squatted down and inspected Gideon.

“Do you have a history of drug use?”

“CHIEF.”

“QUIET, HOPPS!” He flicked his tail. “Answer the question, sir.”

Nick chuckled at Gideon’s fearful expression. “Hey, I’d do it if I were you. He might lock you up for ‘obstruction of justice’ or something.”

Gideon gulped. “Uh, no, sir.”

“And your name?”

“U-um, Gideon Grey, sir.”

“Hmm.”

Bogo stood back up to full height and smirked, adjusting his glasses.

“Alright, Hopps, I’ll let you go this time. But I’m warning you three,” He pointed at each mammal individually before turning back to Judy and continuing, “if I hear of any funny-bunny business, I will investigate. Thoroughly.”

He snorted and stalked off, tail whisking back and forth behind him.

Gideon breathed a sigh of relief. “He seems like a nice fella!”

Clawhauser giggled lightly. “Oh, you don’t know the half of it!”

Judy and Nick said their goodbyes and the three friends returned to the blue truck parked outside.

“So, is he always that menacing?”

“Who, Bogo?” Judy glanced in the rear-view mirror to see her friend nodding. “Nope, only to me.” She smiled to herself. “He knows I can handle it.”

Nick smirked. “I’ll have you know that he is, in fact, that menacing to everyone. Fluff here just has a false sense of superiority, that’s all.”

She stuck out her tongue at him, forgetting that he couldn’t see her from the backseat.

Gideon giggled. “So, where to next?”

• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

Judy, Nick, and Gideon hopped out of the pickup in the parking lot of the Zootopia Mall. The particular store they were parked in front of, entitled “Fur-ever Styles”, was packed with mammals of all sizes searching for fashionable deals.

“I hope you brought your credit card, Gideon, because we’re going on a shopping spree!”

Gideon scratched his chin. “Er, what’s a credit card?”

Judy turned. “What? You don’t know what a credit card is?”

He shook his head.

“Oh, well it’s a- ugh, never mind. It’s not important.”

The trio entered the store with greedy eyes and heavy wallets. Well, two heavy wallets, and one light wallet with a credit card in it.

Judy rushed over to a rack with expensive looking white coats on it. “Oooh, Nick, look! Authentic wool!” She ran her paw across it tenderly. She lowered her voice down to a whisper, starry eyed. “It’s so soft…”

Nick and Gideon made their way to the menswear department, dodging mammals rushing through the store haphazardly.

“Juniors, boys, girls, aha! Here we go, men’s.” Nick worked his way down the racks, flipping through the articles of clothing and pulling one or two over his shoulder.

Gideon watched him closely. He spotted a pair of slim black overalls that were torn at the knee. He inspected them curiously.

“Huh, I’ve never seen overalls like these before.”

Nick glanced at him and laughed.

“Oh, no, I bet you haven’t. Those are more for fashion than functionality, if you catch my drift.” He continued sifting through the assorted clothes until he found some that appealed to him.

“Alright, Gideon, come try these on!”

The younger fox made his way over.

“Er, try them on? Where do I do that, exactly?”

Nick pointed him to a dressing room and he hurried off.

Meanwhile, Judy inspected a pair of ruby red stilettos.

She stared at them with more love in her heart than she had ever felt before.

“These shoes are three hundred dollars. These shoes are three hundred dollars. These shoes are three hundred dollars.”

She looked at her black credit card and grinned widely.

“Let’s get ‘em.”

Gideon exited the changing room wearing an outfit that was, unsurprisingly, extremely similar to one Nick might own.

“Um, Nick…?”

The older fox hurried over and looked him over. “Oh my god, you look great!”

“...Sure…” Gideon pulled at the bright purple tie around his neck, loosening it slightly. “I don’t know, Nick. This just doesn’t seem like me, you know?”

Nick stepped back and furrowed his brow, putting a paw to his mouth quizzically.

“Hmm… You know what? You’re right. That green button-up clashes horribly with your fur, and that purple totally drowns out your eyes.” He pushed the younger fox back to the dressing room, already handing him a new wardrobe to try on. “Here, try these instead! These jeans are on clearance for 50% off! It’s a total steal, trust me!”

Judy made her way to the men’s section, stopping every few feet whenever a piece of fabric caught her eye. Eventually she noticed Nick perusing the rack, and she rushed over to him.

“Oh my gosh, Nick, you have to see these shoes.” She flashed the heels in his general direction before stuffing them back in their box quickly.

“Oh my god, those are so cute! Are they cheap?”

“Um… cheap is a… relative term.”

“Judy…”

The bunny huffed. “Okay, they’re pretty expensive, but I deserve to treat myself every once in a while!”

“That’s what you said about the real wool blanket, and the black boots, and the washing machine, and-”

“Nick, if you don’t shut up, I will stab you with these shoes.”

“Okay, shutting up.”

Gideon emerged from the changing room wearing a navy blue sweater with a baby blue collared shirt underneath and bright blue jeans. He pulled at the sleeves of the sweater lightly.

“Don’t you think this is too much blue?”

Nick laughed. “‘Too much blue?’ You can never have too much blue, my friend.”

“Never.” Judy chimed in.

He changed back into his normal attire and made his way to a register with Nick and Judy.

On their way, Nick and Gideon felt a firm hoof grip on their shoulders, pulling them quickly to a halt.

“Excuse me, sirs?”

The two foxes turned to face the burly ram in a black security uniform behind them.

Nick glared at him expectantly. “Oh, great. What’s up, muttonchops?”

The ram’s cheeks rosied as he glared back at him. “I’m sorry, but I’m going to have to ask you to leave the premises.”

Gideon gasped. “W-what? Why?”

Nick shook his head, dropping the clothes on his shoulder onto the nearest rack.

“Tch, typical. Probably doesn’t even have a reason.”

The ram’s angry face flushed a deeper red. “Some folks were complaining about feeling unsafe with you two nearby, and the manager says you’ve got to go. I’m sorry, but I don’t make the rules.”

Gideon shook his head angrily. “But we weren’t doin’ nothing! We were just shoppin’ like everyone else-”

Nick stopped him with a paw on his shoulder. “Don’t waste your breath. Let’s just go, Gid.”

“Hold on!”

Judy dashed to them quickly, flashing the security officer a quick smile.

“I-I’m sorry, sir, but surely there must be a mistake. I’m with these two, and you don’t think I’m suspicious, right?” She batted her eyelashes at the ram.

His flustered expression only deepened.

“I’m sorry ma’am, I don’t make the rules. These two have to go, manager’s orders.”

Judy dropped her act and scowled at him.

“Well that’s too bad, because if you’re kicking them out, you’re gonna have to kick me out too!”

Gideon looked around nervously. At this point, they had caused quite a scene, and mammals were gathered around them at a distance. A young bear teenager held up her smartphone, a red light indicating that it was recording.

“Judy…”

The ram scanned the room as well, before huffing deeply and glowering at the bunny.

“Fine.”

She and Gideon breathed a small sigh of relief.

“I’m going to have to ask you to leave as well.”

Judy’s eyes shot open and she began hopping furiously.

“WHAT? You can’t do that to me! I’m a Zootopian citizen, I know my rights!”

“Well, then you also know that an establishment has the right to deny service to any mammal!”

“But not based on discrimination! Article 23 of the Equality Act, Section 3, Paragraph 5!”

“But you can’t prove it was discrimination without the statement of the implicator, whose identity is specifically protected by Amendment 2!”

Judy opened her muzzle to respond, before catching herself. “You’re… you’re right.” She hung her head before stamping her foot. “But that doesn’t make you less of a JERK!”

Nick grabbed her shoulder forcefully.

“Judy, stop. I’m sorry sir, we’ll leave peacefully-”

“Like HELL WE WILL, NICK!”

The ram suddenly grabbed the raging bunny himself and hefted her over his shoulder.

“Alright, ma’am, we’re going on a little walk.”

He made his way to the back of the store despite the furious rabbit pounding on his back.

Nick and Gideon trailed behind awkwardly, failing to avoid the stares from the mammals around them. Gideon caught the eye of the bear teen, whose phone was still in her paw. She looked infuriated.

The ram led the two foxes to a door in the very back, before pushing it open and setting his cargo down outside of it. Judy jumped off and kicked at an empty cardboard box lying about, still screaming profanity.

Nick and Gideon watched her tirade in shame as the ram sat down on a large wooden crate next to the door.

Nick walked up to him and met his gaze.

“Look, sir, we’re sorry for the trouble we’ve caused. We’ll go now. C’mon Gid, Judy, let’s go.”

The security guard held out a hoof to stop him. “Wait.” His deep voice calmed the three quickly.

“I didn’t just bring you three out here to kick you out. I want to apologize.” He looked up at the two foxes in front of him.

“I really don’t get a say in the matter either. My boss would fire me if I let you guys go, not to mention the backlash the company would get…”

He stared off into space for a moment. “I really wish it didn’t happen this way.”

Nick slowly sat down next to him. “I’m guessing this happens often?”

The ram chuckled deeply. “Almost every day. And I’ve never actually caught a fox trying to steal something, either.” He looked dejectedly into the floor. “My… my girlfriend is a vixen.”

Gideon gasped quietly.

“If she knew how many foxes I’ve kicked out of here… Heck, if she ever came in here…” He shuddered and glanced at Nick.

“I really am sorry.”

Nick stood and smiled compassionately.

“Hey, don’t worry about it. I understand.”

The ram stood as well and stretched. “I’ve gotta get back to work. My boss will be mad as hell when he finds out what a mess you’ve- I mean, I’ve made…

He opened the back door to the building and closed it behind him.

For a second, the three remaining stood in silence.

“So… anyone want to keep shopping, or…”

“I think we’re done for the day, Carrots.”

“Right.”

• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

Hours later, at the restaurant a few blocks from the ZPD, Nick stood and excused himself. As he left the table, Gideon turned to Judy, setting down his sandwich.

“Hey, Judy, I wanna ask you somethin’ about Nick.”

Judy smiled. “Sure, what’s up?”

“What’s up with him and his family? I asked him about them earlier, and he just shrugged it off…”

Judy’s expression fell and she stared into her carrot soup. “Oh. Right. Well his mom’s alright. He hasn’t seen her in a long time, but he keeps in contact. His dad, though…”

She glanced around, as if to make sure he wasn’t nearby, and continued.

“His dad was a bit of an asshole, if you’ll excuse my language. He left Nick and his mom when Nick was very young, and before that he would beat her…”

She shook her head. “Maybe he beat him, too. He told me about when he was coming out, how his father had reacted… It wasn’t very pretty. Thinking about his family reminds him of his dad, so… maybe try to steer clear of the subject, huh?”

Gideon nodded quietly.

When Nick returned, he noticed Gideon’s expression. And he saw that knowing glint in Judy’s eye. He refused to think about it, though.

• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

Nick led Gideon through a bent portion of the fence around the park in the center of Zootopia.

Gideon smiled. “Really, a park? That’s what you wanted to show me? We really could have done this during the daytime, you know.

Nick hushed him and continued sneaking around the brightly lit paths of the park. Old, rusted lampposts lined every route, illuminating everything with a sickly yellow glow.

The pair made their way to a bush near a high rock formation that was carved away like steps.

Nick crouched into the bush, checking his dimly lit watch.

“Any second now…”

Suddenly, a loud shifting sound echoed through the enclosure as every lamppost turned off at once, bathing the entire park in darkness.

Gideon whistled lowly. “Whoa.”

Nick glanced around before jumping out of the hedge and climbing the rocks in front of him quickly. Gideon followed him at a slightly slower pace.

They reached the top of the rocks with relative ease, Nick sitting down on the flat expansive boulder underneath him.

Gideon looked out over Zootopia with stars in his eyes.

“Oh my gosh, Nick… this is beautiful. You can see every part of the city from here!”

Nick chuckled. “That’s not even the best part.”

Gideon laughed to himself incredulously.

“What could possibly be better than this?”

“Look up.”

And Gideon obeyed.

Above the two foxes lay an endless abundance of stars, brightly filling the night sky. The moon was full, shimmering palely, every crack and crevice on its surface highlighted. The expanse of space greeted Gideon like a blanket of darkness, speckled with lights that shone like the sun, condensed into miniscule balls of white flame.

It was beautiful and indescribable, all at once.

“Oh… my god…”

“I knew you’d love it.”

Gideon sat next to the older fox, still staring up into the abyss.

“I do. I really, really do.”

They lay next to each other in silence for a few minutes, gazing into the space above them, until Gideon coughed quietly.

“Hey, Nick…”

“Yeah, Gid?”

“I just…” He rolled over so he could face Nick without craning his neck. Nick remained in his position, eyes still searching the sky above him.

“I want you to know I understand.”

“What?”

“A-about your dad, I mean. I get what it’s like to not be accepted by someone you love. Or maybe you never loved him, and that’s okay too. But-” He sighed loudly and returned to the silence for a few seconds.

“My parents- they’re strong Catholic folks. And they believe that… that when I die, I’m going to go to hell because of who I am. And I… and sometimes I think they’re right.”

He paused for a moment, to collect his thoughts.

“But… but then I remember that God put me here for a reason, and if I am this way for a reason, I shouldn’t try to fight him. You know?”

“Anyway, the point is… the point is everything has a reason. If it weren’t for your terrible dad, you wouldn’t be the great guy you are today. That’s all I’m sayin’.”

Nick was silent.

Gideon layed back down, returning his gaze to the stars.

“Hey…”

“Yeah, Nick?”

“I’m an Atheist.”

Gideon chuckled.

“Well, don’t tell my parents that, okay?”

Perhaps if the moon where a little bit brighter, Gideon might have seen the tears staining his partner’s face.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> >:3c


	5. Drowsy Days

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey! Sorry this one took so long, but I suffered a little bit of writers block after the last chapter, and school has been keeping me busy for the past few weeks. But I'm back with another chapter!
> 
> Also, thanks for all the great feedback, commenters! I know I haven't responded to many (most) of you, but that is mostly because I am an anxious child. Know that I read every comment and value your opinions.
> 
> That aside, please enjoy!

Judy thumped her foot against the ground quickly, watching the clock slowly tick. She had been up hours ago, but apparently her nocturnal friends hadn’t set an alarm. Or left the windows open.

Gideon was still passed out on the couch, his half open muzzle leaving a damp spot on the cushion beneath him. Nick was probably asleep as well, sprawled out in his bed. 

She continued thumping her paw rapidly before finally huffing and practically hopping back to her room. 

When she was younger, her mother had always told her that the best cure for a bored mind was a good book.

Right now, that advice couldn’t be farther from Judy’s mind. Actually, she was thinking of something her father had told her long ago instead.

“Listen, Jude. Sometimes, the best thing you can do is to just run from your problems.”

Of course, at the time, it seemed a depressing and ridiculous statement. But somewhere along the way, she had shifted its meaning and taken it to heart.

Sometimes, when you’re stuck, you just have to run it out.

Judy pulled on a pair of black leggings and a grey tank top and began her morning jog through the city.

She had always been the most athletic of her siblings, which was both a blessing and a curse. While she never worried about her weight or physical health, the downside was the teasing of her peers. She remembered them taunting her and telling her how she wasn’t a real girl. She never listened, though. Eventually they noticed how she never struggled in that P.E. class, or how she could fight off a bully with one hand tied behind her back. 

She grinned, thinking about her childhood. Boy, was she a scrapper. Her parents used to be called down to the office almost every other day for some stupid fight she had gotten herself into. And every time, she’d pull the same determined face and tell everyone matter-of-factly why she chose to step in. Usually, it was to protect a younger classmate from an older bully. Occasionally, it was just because some dumb bunny was being a huge jerk. 

And her parents would smile awkwardly, and assure the principal that it would never happen again. 

It always did.

She turned a corner and continued jogging on the sidewalk of the downtown district. Her breath had become rhythmic and precise, not longer or shorter than needed. Right now, she was running on total automatic. The cool breeze ran through her fur, soothing her warm skin as her mind wandered.

Gideon.

He had been the one to solidify her goals, really. Well, maybe that was a bit too generous. He played some part in it, at least. Maybe.

But he was a good guy. And he showed her how people could change, even after years and years. She was proud to call him a friend.

Nick.

Their relationship was really, really cute. Nick’s trying really hard to impress Gideon, even if there’s not much to impress him with. And after the night before, Judy guessed he was getting pretty good at it.

Ugh. Dinner last night.

Gideon really didn’t have any business asking about Nick’s past. She understood the curiosity, though. She had felt it herself not too long ago, but she had been respectful enough to wait to hear it from him instead of going behind his back. But ultimately she couldn’t blame Gideon. As long as he wouldn’t hurt Nick.

She might not forgive him then.

Judy reached a small convenience store that marked the halfway point of her jog and stopped for a breather. She panted slightly, hunching over on her knees before running her paw through the fur on her head and wiping the sweat onto her tank top. The slight burn of the exercise ran through the muscles in her legs and paws. It was a pretty cool day, she noticed absentmindedly. Peculiarly cool. It was the dead of summer, after all. She glanced up at the sky for a second. 

Her eyes widened.

“W-What?”

Meanwhile, Nick accidentally rolled out of bed and promptly collided with the floor, still half asleep.

“Ah! Wha… ugh…” He unwrapped himself from the small cyclone of blankets around him and rubbed his eyes groggily while rising.

He stumbled to his closet and paused, turning to look through the blinds. The sky was overcast, but small patches of sunlight streamed through the cloud cover, as of yet undisturbed by the fluffy grey masses. He frowned slightly. It’ll be too cold out for his usual outfits. He pushed the row of button-up shirts down the rack and grabbed a soft red hoodie, pulling it over his furry chest and zipping it up only past his navel. He scratched his thigh for a moment before pulling out a pair of baggy grey sweatpants and putting them on.

When he entered the living room he noted Gideon sleeping on the couch and stopped for a moment to watch him. Which wasn’t creepy at all. Nope.

Gideon’s open maw left the slightest wet spot on the pillow beneath him as he snored gently. His chest, exposed from the white sheet that covered most of his lower half, was blanketed in patchy yellow fur, matching his chin. It heaved slightly with his breaths, expanding and compressing slowly. Nick bit his lip. He looked so vulnerable lying there… He shook his head and tried to tiptoe past the slumbering beast. Unfortunately, the apartment had other plans.

As his left paw hit the linoleum that lined the kitchen floor, his claws caught a loose edge and pulled, ripping it loudly and causing him to stumble and wince. He glanced back at the fox on the couch who moaned softly and sat up in a groggy daze.

“Ugh… mornin’ Judes…”

Nick smiled softly. “Nope, wrong fluffball. It’s the tall, shrewd, and dashingly handsome one this time.”

Gideon’s eyebrows scrunched up as he peered into the kitchen. “Oh, hey Nick… gosh, I must’ve been real tired last night if you woke up before me…”

The fox in the kitchen grinned and pulled a can of tomato basil out of the cupboard. “Wow, Judy taught you well! Already taking swipes at me, the nerve.”

Gideon got up, letting the sheet fall back onto the couch. He stretched, yawning, before scratching his stomach and following his partner into the kitchen. He caught Nick pouring the can into a small pot and turning on the stovetop.

“Is that soup? You’re makin’ soup for breakfast?”

Nick’s grin grew. “Well I can never turn down a good bowl of tomato soup on a cloudy day. Even if it’s only…” He glanced at the carrot themed clock that hung above the refrigerator. “10:57. Gee, time flies when you’re fast asleep, huh?”

Gideon chuckled quietly. “Heh, yeah.”

Nick turned to pull a spoon from a drawer and the two saw each other fully for the first time that morning.

Gideon saw Nick, ever-so disheveled, looking comfortable as ever. Something about that hoodie, baring his chest yet concealing so much, and his sweatpants, perfectly outlining all of his curves, and his fur, ruffled in all the right places… He couldn’t help but stare.

Nick saw Gideon’s full frame, pudgy and yet beefy at the same time. His shoulders were broad and almost intimidating, and his loose boxers pressed against the patchy, slightly matted fur underneath his stomach that disappeared behind their band. His tail, fluffy and bright, whisked by his paws. He was like a life-size plushie. He cursed silently. It was kind of hot.

The thinner fox blushed, the bright red barely showing through his russet fur. 

“Uh, h-hey, you’re… not wearing… anything.”

Gideon, blushing himself, rubbed the back of head awkwardly. “Uh, yeah. Um, sorry if this is… uncomfortable.” He took a step back off the linoleum. 

His partner held out a hand quickly. “No, no! It’s fine, I was just… surprised, I guess.”

“Oh.” He shook his head. “Yeah, I guess nudity is a bit of a bigger deal out here than in the city. Back home, in the mornin’s, sometimes the family’ll be walkin’ around half naked. They’ll only put on clothes if they gotta go somewhere, or if you force ‘em. Usually the latter.”

Nick laughed. “Wow. Yeah, mammals in Zootopia aren’t really big on… yeah. It’s fine, though.” He stepped toward the bigger fox, pressing himself against his counterpart. “It’s kinda hot, if I’m being totally honest.”

Gideon’s blush intensified as his older mate curled a few pieces of fur on his chest and tugged lightly at them. A mischievous look glanced upon his face and his paws, now wrapped around Nick’s back, wandered downward, kneading the muscles behind his hips. His right thumb flicked against the base of Nick’s tail, eliciting a slight shiver from the fox.

“Woah! I’m impressed, Gid!” He leaned even closer, his muzzle nearing Gideon’s, and he let his voice drop to a seductive quiver. “This is definitely not your first time at the rodeo, buckaroo.”

Gideon frowned playfully. “You know I’m a baker, not a cowboy, right?”

Nick pulled back and smirked. “Alright buddy, so I have a flare for the dramatic. Why does everyone feel the need to criticize my word choice?”

Gideon laughed loudly. He opened his mouth to retort, but whatever snarky comment lay in his muzzle was cut off by the shrieking of a fire alarm.

Both pairs of ears perked up and Nick snapped back to the now smoking pot on the stove.

“My soup!” He rushed to the pot, grabbing the handle, pulling it off the stovetop and inspecting it’s slightly blackened contents.

“Aww… Oh well.” He dumped the dark liquid into the sink and pulled another can of soup out of the cupboard.

Gideon laughed. “Well, you’re nothing if not determined, that’s for sure.”

Nick flicked his tail, whipping Gideon’s side lightly. “Shut it, buckeroo.”

Just then, Judy entered the dark apartment building, slightly wet from the rain that had begun falling mere moments before. She grumbled to herself, wiping her paws on the doormat.

“It’s the middle of summer, for god’s sakes - this weather is ridiculous!”

She glanced upwards, noticing both the nearly naked Gideon and the still blinking and shrieking fire alarm simultaneously.

In a moment of clarity, she chose to address the latter.

“Oh my god! Is there a fire? I know there's an extinguisher somewhere - don’t breathe in the smoke!” Her eyes darted around the room, trying to pinpoint the source of the blaze.

“Hey Judes. Nick burnt soup.”

Judy stopped for a moment. “Oh.” She frowned. “How do you burn a liquid?”

Nick’s smirk returned. “Hey, it’s not totally my fault. I was distracted.”

The bunny walked past her friend without even a passing glance and entered the kitchen, much to Nick’s bemusement. “What, we aren’t going to address the naked elephant in the room?”

Judy looked Gideon up and down, and the returned her gaze to Nick. “Oh. I mean, there's not much to address.”

“Wow, there must be a LOT of nudity in the Burrows.”

She shrugged. “Hey, I grew up in a house with upwards of a hundred brothers. Nothing I haven’t seen before. Or touched, for that matter.”

Nick crinkled his muzzle. “Ew, you made that weird on purpose.”

Gideon giggled and exited the kitchen quietly. “I’ll go put on some clothes.”

“See ya, pardner!”

Judy turned to Nick after Gideon had left the room. “‘Pardner’?”

Nick grinned and stirred his tomato soup slowly. “Let’s just say things got a little steamy while you were gone, and not just because of the burning soup.”

“Ooh, fun.”

“Mhm.”

Judy’s frown returned. “Hmm. You should probably clear stuff up with him.”

Nick raised his eyebrows. “What is there to clear up? It’s been like, two days, I haven’t had a chance to lie to him yet.”

The bunny shook her head. “No, I mean you should let him know that you aren’t particularly… prudent when it comes to intimacy. He might think you were trying to escalate things when you really weren’t, you know?”

“Oh… sure. But I think he could tell that. He was even taking control a little. It was… interesting, to say the least.” He got a spoonful of soup and sipped it to check the temperature before dipping it back into the pot and continuing. “Anyways, you seemed a bit upset when you came in, what was that about?”

Judy had to take a second to think back before remembering the cause of her frustrations. “Oh, it’s this stupid weather! I was planning on taking us all out hiking today, but it’s no fun hiking in the pouring rain. I can’t believe it! It’s the middle of summer, and we’re getting rain like it's winter!”

Nick shrugged coolly. “Well, it’s a good excuse to wear cute outfits. Besides, I’m not sure hiking would have been the greatest. I mean have you seen Gideon? Not exactly a mountain climber.”

Judy sighed. “I guess you’re right. Should we just have a hang-out day, then? I can fire up Petflix and make some popcorn!”

Nick sipped the soup again and grabbed a bowl. “Sounds good, Carrots.” He emptied the pot into the bowl, watching the steam rise from the stream of tomato soup.

The trio spent the day lounging and watching movies, continually devouring popcorn as if it were the last form of sustenance available. Each picked one; Judy chose an action film, Gideon, a sappy romantic comedy, and Nick a horror flick. He liked to watch Judy pull her ears over her eyes when she thought something might happen, and he may have even enjoyed feeling Gideon press against him during the particularly scary parts, but who knows.

When the final movie, a sci-fi with hilariously bad special effects, ended, they drifted to sleep in little piles on the floor, wrapped in blankets. Judy watched the two lumps beside her cuddle through her heavy eyelids and she smiled to herself.


End file.
